Babesiosis Is On The Rise - Here's What You Should Know

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If you live in the northeast or midwest, health experts say babesiosis is on the rise, particularly during the summer months. It’s an infectious disease caused by parasites of the genus Babesia, which are transmitted primarily through the bites of infected ticks, specifically the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis). The disease can cause symptoms similar to malaria, including fever, chills, sweats, headache, body aches, loss of appetite, and fatigue.

Here’s what researchers at Penn State found.

This month, a research team at Penn State studied 3,521 individuals diagnosed with babesiosis from October 2015 to December 2022, finding that the majority of cases occurred during the summer months, particularly in northeastern states. Notably, 42% of these patients were also infected with at least one other tick-borne disease, a rate that surpasses previous findings.

Among those with co-infections, 41% tested positive for the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, while 3.7% showed signs of ehrlichiosis, and 0.3% were infected with anaplasmosis. Ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis are both tick-borne diseases caused by different types of bacteria that infect white blood cells, according to the Mayo Clinic. Overall, babesiosis cases increased an average of 9% a year in the U.S. between 2015 and 2022.

Ixodes scapularis/ Lyme disease tick – Source: IURII BUKHTA / Getty

Can you die from babesiosis?

In severe cases of the rate of disease, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions, it can lead to complications like hemolytic anemia, organ failure, or even death. Diagnosis is typically made through blood tests that detect the presence of the parasite or the antibodies produced in response to the infection.

According to the study, the mean age of those infected was 56 years, with 51% being male and 78% white. Doxycycline, a bacterial antibiotic, was prescribed more frequently in patients with coinfections compared to those with babesiosis alone. The Penn State researchers also found that the 90-day mortality rate was 1.4%, and after controlling for confounding factors, patients with coinfections had a lower likelihood of 90-day mortality compared to those with babesiosis only. The finding surprised Paddy Ssentongo, a lead author behind the study. 

​​“Having both babesiosis and Lyme disease seemed not to be associated with worse mortality,” he told the New York Post. “It’s speculated that the concurrent presence of other tick-borne infections in the blood could alter the immune response by possibly ‘boosting’ it to effectively fight infections.”

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How can you protect yourself?

To protect yourself from babesiosis and other tick-borne diseases, take several preventive measures. First, avoid tick habitats by steering clear of wooded and bushy areas, especially during peak tick season in spring and summer. When outdoors, wear long sleeves and pants, tucking your pants into your socks, and choose light-colored clothing to help spot ticks more easily.

Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to exposed skin and clothing. After being outdoors, conduct thorough tick checks on your body, focusing on hidden areas like the armpits and behind the knees. Showering within two hours of outdoor activities can help remove ticks, and changing clothes can prevent bringing them indoors. Ensure that pets are treated with veterinarian-recommended tick prevention products, as they can carry ticks into the home. 

Additionally, manage your yard by maintaining it through grass trimming and clearing brush to minimize tick habitats. If you find a tick, remove it promptly and correctly using fine-tipped tweezers, grasping it as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Following these guidelines can significantly reduce your risk of tick bites and potential infections like babesiosis.

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